UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT DEFENDS ‘NORMANDY FOUR’ FORMAT, MINSK
AGREEMENTS AS THE ONLY WAY TO RESOLVE DONETSK BASIN CRISIS WITHOUT
HIGH TOLL OF MILITARY INTERVENTION; EXPERT: PARTIES STILL DON’T SEE
EYE TO EYE ON BERLIN MEETING’S RESULTS

POROSHENKO PROMISES CLARITY ON DONETSK BASIN. (By Tatyana
Ivzhenko. Nezavisimaya gazeta, Oct. 25, 2016, p. 1.
Condensed text:) [Ukrainian President] Pyotr Poroshenko explained
to the Ukrainian people how he sees the results of a meeting among
the "Normandy Four" [France, Germany, Ukraine, Russia] leaders [see
Current Digest, Vol.68, No.42, pp.3-6]. Speaking to reporters from three national television
channels, the head of state discussed when the Supreme Rada will
adopt a law on local elections in the Donetsk Basin, when those
elections will be held, when Ukraine will regain control over the
border with Russia and why that is so important.

Pyotr Poroshenko stressed that Ukraine will not unilaterally
withdraw from the Minsk agreements [for a ceasefire in eastern
Ukraine; see Current Digest, Vol.66, No.37, pp.3-6 and Vol.67, No.7, pp.3-7 - Trans.], despite the fact that criticism of
[said] agreements in the country is growing. The president
explained that exiting the agreements would result in the lifting
of anti-Russian sanctions by the West, as well as the collapse of
the international coalition created to support Ukraine.

"Minsk is the only path to peace. Anyone who attacks the Minsk
[agreements] must be held responsible.*** There are only two other
possibilities: to resolve the conflict by force or to openly attack
Russia. I would like people to compare the military budgets (of
Ukraine and Russia - NG), and the possibility of being
responsible for future loss of life," he said. At the same time,
Poroshenko rejected the idea of giving up the separatist regions.
According to him, the logic of "territory in exchange for peace" is
flawed, because even if Ukraine gives up territory, it still
wouldn’t get peace.

Poroshenko ...

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